Dodge Lil' Red Truck - Express Restoration

We all have a favorite Mopar that we'd like to own or restore one day, but finding that certain vehicle at a reasonable price can often be more difficult than it sounds. This is even truer if the Mopar you desire was produced in low numbers, like Dodge's Li'l Red Truck. Commonly called "Little Red Express" trucks thanks to the gold side decals on the bright red bodies, these pickups from Dodge were actually performance vehicles in disguise, with a host of go-fast advantages like an E58 police package 360 engine, right from the factory.

2/11Dodge's Li'l Red Truck was one of the quickest vehicles produced by any domestic auto manufacturer during the late '70s. Jim got lucky, scoring a deal on this one after his son-in-law spotted it in an obscure classified advertisement.

Knowing he liked the styling and performance of Dodge's Li'l Red Trucks, Jim Kincaid of Lexington, Kentucky was always watching out for a good deal on a solid truck. Learning about Jim's desires, his family helped him with the search, giving him leads or looking through newspaper or internet ads. Seeing a classified ad in his local credit union's publication, Jim's son-in-law quickly recognized the truck described in the advertisement as being the same type that Jim wanted, so he called him up with the information. Jim quickly made arrangements to drive the 80 or so miles out of town to see the Dodge, and was surprised at what he found.

Although this Li'l Red Truck was currently residing in Kentucky, the body was amazingly solid for a vehicle of its age. When Jim asked about the truck's history, the owner told him that the truck was originally from Arizona, which explained the burned paint but otherwise solid body. The Dodge was then sold to an owner who drove it for two years in Mississippi before the current owner purchased the truck, storing it in a barn for some ten years. Other than some pitting on the upper surfaces, the truck was complete and numbers matching, so Jim quickly made a deal with the owner, who was only asking $500 for the rare Mopar.

3/11As an Arizona truck, this example was as rust free as they get when Jim found it. With the factory numbers-matching drive train intact, we'd consider it a steal for $500.

All good deals come with catches, however, and since the current owner couldn't find the title or paperwork for the truck, Jim had to trace the history of the vehicle to replace the title. After several months of phone calls and written correspondence, a clear title for the truck was obtained and Jim began restoring the vehicle. As a retiree, Jim spent nearly every day working on the truck, completing most of the tasks, including the bodywork and paint, himself. We're sure it took considerable effort to finish the truck in a year's time, and the results are dramatic. We congratulate Jim on his Hidden Treasure, and hope he enjoys his truck now that the hard work is finished.